art & writing in the deep south

The Jerry Brown Arts Festival

Though potter Jerry Brown has been celebrated in arts festivals for many years, the Jerry Brown Arts Festival in Hamilton, Alabama honors him annually with a juried art festival. This year’s event, which is the fifteenth annual, will be held on Saturday, March 4 from 9 AM ’til 5:00 PM, and on Sunday, March 5 and 10:00 AM ’til 4:00 PM. Admission is free.

Jerry Dolyn Brown was a resident of Hamilton and a ninth-generation traditional potter in his family. Brown won the National Heritage Award from the National Endowment of the Arts in 1992 and the Alabama Heritage Award in 2003. His his significance was acknowledged as he was one of few remaining Alabama folk potters and as a representative of the state’s folk art traditions. Brown died on March 4, 2016.

His face jugs and his more traditional pottery have been sources of income and happiness for the Brown Family. He taught and trained his children, grandchildren, and many other people about pottery in his shop, located on Boyett Drive in Hamilton.